ObjectivesTo assess self-reported symptoms of neuropathy, disability, pain, health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) and autonomic dysfunction in patients with vasculitis.MethodsPatients with vasculitis (with or without neuropathy) were invited by Vasculitis UK to complete an anonymous online survey.ResultsThree hundred and twelve patients (71% female) responded. Median age was 61-70 years. Median duration of vasculitis was 4 years (<2 months to >15 years). Vasculitic types included granulomatosis with polyangiitis (34%), unspecified ANCA-associated vasculitis (13%), microscopic polyangiitis (11%), eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (11%), giant cell arteritis (10%), non-systemic vasculitic neuropathy (2%) and other (19%). Many patients reported foot/hand symptoms suggestive of neuropathy, including numbness (64%), pain (54%) or weakness (40%). Two hundred and forty-two patients (78%) met our definition of probable vasculitic neuropathy: diagnosis of neuropathy by vasculitis team OR numbness OR weakness in feet/hands. Only 52% had been formally diagnosed with neuropathy. Compared with 70 patients without neuropathy, neuropathy patients had greater disability measured by the inflammatory Rasch-built Overall Disability Scale (centile mean 63.1 [s.d. 17.3] vs 75.2 [16.7]; P < 0.0001), Inflammatory Neuropathy Cause and Treatment scale (median 2 [interquartile range 1-4] vs 0.5 [0-2]; P < 0.0001) and modified Rankin scale (median 2 [interquartile range 1-3] vs 2 [1-2)]; P = 0.0002); greater pain on an 11-point rating scale (mean 4.6 [s.d. 2.6] vs 3.5 [2.8]; P = 0.0009); and poorer HR-QOL on the EQ5D-3L (summary index mean 0.58 [s.d. 0.29] vs 0.69 [0.28]; P < 0.0001). Two-thirds reported autonomic symptoms (not associated with neuropathy).ConclusionNeuropathy is common and associated with significant disability, pain and impaired HR-QOL in patients with systemic vasculitis.
Journal article
2024-10-01T00:00:00+00:00
63
2791 - 2798
7
Department of Neurology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Humans, Autonomic Nervous System Diseases, Pain, Peripheral Nervous System Diseases, Vasculitis, Disability Evaluation, Quality of Life, Aged, Middle Aged, Female, Male, Microscopic Polyangiitis, Surveys and Questionnaires, United Kingdom